Penguins Welcome Wilson to Front Office

The Penguins made a significant addition to their front office staff today. Doug Wilson, who enjoyed an uber-successful run as the Sharks’ GM that spanned nearly two decades, has joined the team as a senior advisor of hockey operations.

“Doug brings over 40 years of NHL experience to our program,” said president of hockey ops/GM Kyle Dubas when announcing the hire. “Over 16 years from his Hall-of-Fame playing career and over 25 seasons building consistent contending teams as the leader of the San Jose Sharks hockey operations department. Doug will serve as a source of both experience and wisdom to our entire hockey operations department. His ability to maintain high standards of performance and professionalism over two decades with Sharks is the type of consistency we all aspire to these positions. Doug will provide me and our entire program with a great resource and tremendous benefit as we get rolling. I am excited to add Doug to our management team today.”

Wilson, 66, stepped down as the Sharks’ GM on April 7, 2022, after 19 seasons at the helm, citing health issues. He’d been on medical leave since November 26, 2021.

During his tenure, the Sharks were one of the NHL’s most successful teams, capturing a Presidents’ Trophy and five Pacific Division titles, along with five trips to the Western Conference Final. In their lone trip to the Stanley Cup Final, they lost to our Pens in 2016.

Accordingly, Wilson kept the Sharks’ lineup well-stocked with top-end talent. He engineered a number of high-profile trades, including the blockbuster acquisitions of Joe Thornton, Brent Burns and present Pen Erik Karlsson.

Prior to entering management, Wilson was a smooth-skating (and helmetless) Hall-of-Fame defenseman who played 16 seasons for Chicago and San Jose, in the process tallying 237 goals and 827 points in 1024 NHL games. In ’81-82, he piled up 39 goals and a career-best 85 points, a stellar performance that earned him the Norris Trophy.

Heinen Agrees to PTO with Bruins

Former Pen Danton Heinen has been invited to camp with the Bruins on a PTO. In a way, bringing his career full circle. A fourth-round pick of the Bruins in 2014, the 28-year-old forward enjoyed his finest season with the B’s, tallying 16 goals and 47 points as a rookie in ’17-18.

Although streaky, I thought Heinen proved to be one of Ron Hextall’s more astute and underrated additions. However, after tallying 18 goals as a bargain (and sneaky good) free-agent pickup in ’21-22, his boxcar numbers tumbled to a disappointing eight goals and 22 points in 65 games last season.

At least some of the blonde-haired winger’s regression can be traced to usage. Heinen often skated on the fourth line. In my humble opinion, a poor fit for a player with his skill set.

Despite the uneven deployment, he did a remarkable job of driving play. According to Natural Stat Trick, Danton logged a 5v5 expected goals for percentage (xG%) of 53.31, astonishing given his ridiculously low percentage of offensive zone starts (39.05).

Hope he hooks on with the Bruins.

Hockey Makes for Strange Bedfellows…and Teammates

I was perusing hockey sites the other day as I’m wont to do when I noticed an interesting tidbit. Namely, that Karlsson was suspended two games back in December 2018 for an illegal check to the head.

His victim? 

Then-Kings’ forward and recent Pens PTO signee Austin Wagner.

The incident occurred during the second period of a Kings-Sharks game on December 22, 2018. Wagner attempted to hit Karlsson earlier in the shift and mostly whiffed. That didn’t stop the three-time Norris Trophy winner from stepping up at the Kings’ blue line moments later to flatten his foe with a jarring shoulder-to-shoulder check. Sending Wagner reeling to the bench on wobbly legs and to the locker room soon after.

“I’m not going to lie. I was very surprised,” Karlsson said when he learned of his suspension. “I think it’s a clean hit. I hope he’s OK. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t finish the game. You never want to see anyone get hurt, and I wish him all the best. I have a clear conscience for my part. I think I did everything within the rules, but unfortunately some people didn’t think I did.”

Replays seem to support Karlsson’s view.